Hunters and Collectors Antiques, Mittagong NSW

When we were staying at Oakvale in Mittagong, we went for a drive and along the main street Carl saw a few antique stores and old wares-type shops and second-hand traders and these are his favourite types of browsing experiences. He stopped the car and out we got and the first shop we went into was Hunters and Collectors Antiques. The thing is, we ended up being in there so long that by the time we walked back out onto the footpath, the other shops had closed.

He doesn’t look happy

Oh well, never mind; this shop was fascinating.

One of the two owners, Kathy Kasz was there and she said customers are welcome to take photos inside the store but they would appreciate a donation to an animal shelter and there is a money box at the door for your gold coin donation.

The shop is full of interesting collectables

Getting my money’s worth, this post has a lot of images but I wanted to show you some of the things I found that I thought were fascinating.

While a lot of the prices staggered me, I’d have to say the shop has the most interesting collection of antiques I’ve ever seen. The first item I noticed when I walked into the store was the sculptured bust of Jesus. This is a very rare Spanish polychrome torso of Jesus Christ with a double beard, typical to the late 15th and early 16th Century, circa 1490 – 1550. It has a good original polychrome finish although there is some evidence of past woodworm activity. $14,000.

Jesus Christ

A lot of the items for sale are not PC at all however, they stem from an era where these things were tolerated and even lawful. For $28,000 you can have this fully mounted male Bengal tiger in attack mode. The tiger wears a summer coat. The taxidermy was by Knopp Bros in Washington in 1970.

A Bengal tiger in attack mode

I’ve never seen so much taxidermy in my life; it’s not all that common in Australia.

A wall of heads

Amazing workmanship

This is a French ‘New Map’ motorcycle. The ‘New Map’ factory was founded in Lyon in 1898 and active in producing motorbikes from 1925 to the late 1950’s. These motorcycles became very popular from 1927 due to the good-looking, sporty models. Sales were excellent and the bikes carried high price tags. This C1942 bike has a 125cc engine, is in full working order with original fittings. $12,500.

A French motorbike in working order

From the 1830’s there is a French granite folk art statue of Napoleon Bonaparte that’s in original condition. Like the man himself, this is a very small statue.

Napoleon Bonaparte

This toy car was made in the Depression. It’s a pull-along toy car in original condition. C1930’s. $950.00

A toy pull-along car made in the Depression

This speed boat is from a 1960’s French carousel. It’s made from fibreglass and has working lights. $2,950.

A speed boat from a French carousel

‘Ballarat Bertie’ is very rare and in excellent original condition. It’s C1930’s and was a shop display. $4,850.

Ballarat Bertie

The least PC item I found was this Hitler Youth arm band that has the official stamps inside. C1930’s it’s for sale for $450. Lying on the Hitler Youth arm band is a German SS Officer’s miniature enamelled dagger sweetheart brooch. C1936 $850.

A Hitler Youth arm band with a German SS Officer’s brooch

I did a double-take when I saw this. It’s hard to believe that this is the sort of thing that was done to what is now one of the world’s most endangered species. But what’s done is done and it would be even more disrespectful to not care for these rare and unique items that have come from a time when the world was more ignorant. This is a rhinoceros foot that has been turned into a humidor with a mahogany lid for cigars. C1930’s $1,850.

A rhinoceros foot, now a humidor

And as we walked out of the shop, Carl said browsing in that store was better than being in a museum.

And as if we hadn’t been dazzled enough, just as we stepped out onto the footpath, right in front of us was a Batmobile. The driver was very disappointing; he was sporting a baseball cap and I was rather hoping for my first run-in with the caped crusader. The words, ‘Only in Hollywood’, sprang to mind, but here we were in Mittagong!

Wow! That is one wild collection of antiques. I can see why you spent so much time in there. Mr. N would have been in heaven. He loves browsing those types of shops as well and no doubt would have stayed as long as he could. And the bat mobile is quite a bonus! Very cool.

What are the odds? We window-browsed at that shop on Friday! I was dying to go in but the fish and chip shop a few doors down was calling our name. It looked like a fascinating place, although I’m not sure how I feel about the Nazi memorabilia.

My! What a spooky place to be honest….those glassy eyes are enough to turn me off sleep for a week….those poor creatures The Rhino legs are the worst. Even though they are old and rare, they should not be up for sale, it only excourages poaching for people who still want to ‘own’ such things, and there are plenty of sickos in the world.

As they say, if you sell, they will buy…..the very fact that there is stil someone who will shell money to but a Hitler armband speaks volumes. Loved the batman car though.

Mittagong was rocking last weekend. I’m with Carl on the browsing in old shops thing. It’s a splendid way to spend a few hours. Love it. Thanks for bringing all those pieces of interest to us via your blog.
Carolyn

I agree with Kari’s comment–how delightful to see that they encourage donations to an animal shelter. They obviously feel much as you do–what’s done is done, and these examples of using animals as “art” were at one time examples of fine and exquisite taste, although it’s almost impossible for me to even imagine. I love to browse through shops similar to this, but I have never seen a collection like you’ve shared. It really is a museum! I have seen a “Batmobile” on the streets of Los Angeles, but I guess you never know where the Caped Crusader is going to show up. He must have been needed in Mittagong!

What an interesting store! Do people really spend that kind of money buying that stuff though? I guess so, look at the bat mobile guy! My hubby isn’t a browser…he hates these kind of shops. He much prefers a shoe shop….I am not kidding.

Awesome stuff indeed Charlie! That tiger is amazing, but I’d like it to look like it was curled up asleep so I could give it cuddles without being freaked out littlej has her own ‘museum’ in her room, but the various animal skins were roughly cured by my dad and are certainly not as pretty (or as nice smelling) as those ones xox

No wonder you guys never made it elsewhere, Charlie. They would have had to ask me to leave because they wanted to go home. That’s the kind of place I could get lost in for hours and there’s no telling what you’ll find. You sure did show us an eclectic assortment. The Batmobile? Well that puts the cherry on top of that sundae, doesn’t it?

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Charlie Louie

Welcome to Hotly Spiced. My name is Charlie Louie and I live with my husband and three children, Archie, Arabella and Alfie and two elderly ladies, Ruby and Rosie (dachshunds), in an increasingly untidy and dilapidated Sydney eyesore.... [Read More …]